CDCareer Decision

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters Career, Salary and Skills

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $51,330 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 52,360. Wage data is published for 216 locations.

Open the decision dashboard

Occupation description

Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

O*NET code

51-2041.00

Job zone

2

Typical education

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Experience

None

National salary and employment

Median annual

$51,330

Hourly median

$24.68

Employment

52,360

Data year

2025

National salary distribution

$37,960
10th
$45,610
25th
$51,330
Median
$61,250
75th
$72,280
90th

Top skills

SkillImportanceLevel
Reading Comprehension3.002.62
Active Listening3.003.00
Speaking3.002.62
Critical Thinking3.002.38
Monitoring2.882.62
Operations Monitoring2.882.50
Social Perceptiveness2.622.38
Time Management2.622.00
Coordination2.382.75
Operation and Control2.382.12
All skill ratings →

Typical tasks

  • Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
  • Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
  • Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
  • Tack-weld fitted parts together.
  • Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
  • Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.
  • Position or tighten braces, jacks, clamps, ropes, or bolt straps, or bolt parts in position for welding or riveting.
  • Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.
All task statements →

Technology

  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • Tekla software
  • Three-dimensional modeling software
All technology →

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

All 216 locations →

Related careers

Analyze this careerCompare with another careerExplore your skill gapCompare locations

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.